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Scrambling up from my seat, I searched the shelves, hoping to find a book on the Darkness. Because my instincts were telling me that Willow had lied about more and that she knew how to defeat the Darkness. She just couldn’t. Before I could find a book though, the library doors slammed open, Wilder flashing inside. His eyes were crazed as they found mine and I immediately knew something was wrong.
“What’s wrong?” I said, rushing to his side.
“The shields are faltering. The Darkness is inside.” Wilder rushed out, his voice tinted with fear.
My own fear raced down my spine, but I knew it wasn’t the time to cower.
“Let’s go.” I spoke as I grabbed Wilder’s hand, allowing him to lift me into his arms before speeding off, taking us into the heart of the danger.
???
Landing in a grouping of shelters, I took in the scene before me. Parents were holding their children, trying to run away, while others cowered in their homes. I recognized people I had spoken to just this morning, but they were no longer the same. The Darkness worked fast, already taking over their minds.
Several Drax were flashing through the crowd, sinking their fangs into anyone they could reach. Random creatures were shifted in the area, tearing down shelters, as their inhabitants screamed with terror. I spotted my men in the midst of the chaos, trying to hold back the attackers from the innocent bystanders that weren’t yet affected by the Darkness.
Standing my ground, I gathered my power in my chest, shielding those in the area, trying to pinpoint the dangers and keep them out. I watched as Wilder sprinted from my side, taking down several Drax and holding them down.
“Where’s Willow? Can she rebuild the shield?” I called out to Knox and Madden.
“We can’t find her. We need to get those infected out of here and then you’ll need to create your own shield.” Knox called back and I nodded.
Looking around, I tried to search for Eli. I knew that he could move the Divines infected by the Darkness outside of the castle grounds by controlling their emotions. However, when I spotted him, I realized my nightmare had come true. Because the man standing amidst the fighting, wasn’t the sweet man I loved. Because that man would never be inflicting pain on innocent people.
I watched in horror as he brought men and women to their knees, crying out in misery as he made them feel torturous things. And in that moment I knew, Eli was lost to the Darkness, his mind no longer his own. Madden, Knox, and Wilder plus some other Divines did their best to restrain those fighting, but I knew we couldn’t push them all out on our own. Not when they had Eli on their side who could incapacitate us all with one feeling.
Knowing what I had to do, I dropped the shield, focusing on each individual the Darkness controlled. Closing my eyes, I focused my power, slowly cutting off each of their breaths, until they all fell into a heap on the ground, passed out but alive.
“We need to move them quickly. They’ll all wake up soon. I’ll get to work on the new shield.” I spoke over the silence, my three men nodding.
They gathered other helpers, throwing bodies over their shoulders and making their way outside the castle grounds. I had to turn away as I watched Knox pick up his best friend, his body limp. Pushing away the thoughts of what had been done to Eli, I focused on my task at hand. I had never done a shield this large, especially one that would stay when I wasn’t creating it. But I knew I didn’t have a choice.
Thinking back to the book and the energy of Agrum Di Vinum, I didn’t call on the power in my chest, but instead I let my mind wander, grabbing onto the power of the land itself. I searched for a while, wondering if I was crazy for thinking this would work, but then suddenly I felt the intensity of life rush through me, the glow blinding me even through my closed lids, and I knew I had done it.
Channeling all of the power, as if I was conduit of Agrum Di Vinum itself, I erected the shield, knowing in my soul that it would keep the Darkness and the cursed Divines out. Including the man I loved.
Chapter Twenty-One
Knox
After depositing the men and women outside the shielded area, Halley let us back in through her shield. I couldn’t help but turn towards the pile of unconscious bodies, my eyes on one man in particular. How could this have happened? How could he be trying to destroy others? I felt Halley at my side, squeezing my hand in hers, and I knew she was feeling the same. My heart tightened in my chest as I turned away from my best friend, swearing to him that I would bring him back from the Darkness, no matter what it cost.
With intent in my steps, I walked back towards the area that had been destroyed. Calmly, I tried to do my best to explain to the people what had happened without creating more chaos. We didn’t need it spreading that the Darkness could get through our shield again, taking more of our people.
“For now, the threat is gone. Anyone’s whose home was destroyed; you will have a room in the castle tonight. Gather your belongings and head there now. As for everyone else, stay calm. We have a plan.” I instructed the group, before heading back to the castle myself, Madden, Wilder, and Halley on my heels.
“What’s your plan Seer?” Wilder asked, keeping his voice low so others didn’t hear.
“I don’t have one. But we better figure one out fast.”
No one said anything after that, the four of us quickly making our way back to the castle, knowing we were running out of time. We couldn’t delay Willow’s plan like we had hoped and I was afraid that may be our only choice now. I knew I couldn’t leave Eli out there, slowly going mad inside his own head.
Rushing into the castle, we sped to the library, books strewn across tables. I knew that Halley had been in here earlier,seeingher in a vision, and information was on our side right now. The more we could learn about the Darkness, the better chance we had at not opening the portal.
“What do we know about the Darkness? Think of everything you learned in class.” I commanded, searching through books on the shelf as I spoke.
“The Darkness came out of nowhere. One day the realm was living in peace, and the next everything started going wrong. Exactly like we saw today. People were infected within moments.” Halley recited, the facts fresher in her mind than the rest of us.
“Exactly. But a threat like that doesn’t just come into existence one day.” Wilder added, flashing around the library, grabbing books he thought would help.
